it seems that hmv and a few other internet sellers have informed people that the musicology single has been cancelled. anybody have any info on this?...surely if this is true than they must release something else quickly to keep the momentum going (cinnamon girl looks the best choice for airplay)...come on sony, dont let us down now.

This is a pretty common trick record companies use to get support / promotion. it's called promo only release.

you send out the video and track to radio / tv / press and give it a release date. treat and work the single like any other. the buzz starts, you get features, reviews and playlists (MTV, VH1, BBC Radio2, Capital Group, etc). the profile for the upcoming album is raised. the single is doing it's job. (all singles are , are toold to promote albums. record companies don't make money from them - unless they go on to sell a million)

album comes out. charts high. the buzz is still positive.

now, why do you then follow that instantly with a single that is going to obviously tank...?(everyone bought the album with the track on it and it's not really going to appeal to the hardcore single buyers whci are kids aged 8-18). it kill the momentum of the album.

this way. no harm done. the next single will get chosen. and when that is serviced to the media in 8-12 weeks or so (probably around the Uk dates) there's still a positive buzz for the project and the support continues.

it's all about making people thing that the buzz / sucsess is growing and continuing - if people think it's already peaked. they lose interest.

this would be soooo... typical get the momentum up and then fuck it up ! i know lots of non p fans who were gonna buy the single !!!

well, honestly, i don't know anyone who would have bought a single for 4 or 5 bucks when they could buy the whole cd for 9.99 and get those same two songs.

danielboon said:

i see your point. but it actually kills the momentum. prince has just had an album go in the top 3. when was the last time that happened...? it's a great time for prince. now, he's getting all the promotion and profile he's going to get.

having Tim Kash on Top Of The PoPs say 'this weeks lowest new entry at 32 is prince" isn't actually going to inspire ANYONe to then purchase the album. it's only worth releasing if you think you can top the impact of a top 3 album. the only thing that would is a no.1 single. and that ain't gonna happen.

mmmm, i am not sure it is a good thing to cancel the single, i think enough fans would have bought it to make it go top 20, i know singles lose money but they are still a good promotional tool for the album and prince needs a single in the singles chart.

million days

blackboab said:

well it's debateable. i really don't think it would have made top 20. and even if it had that wouldn't be so great - being in the top 20 doesn't get you more plays on radio, editorial in papers, plays on TV... Sony might aswell just have the album sell week on week for those who hear the song on the radio and like it.

i mean prince didnt have as strong a profile in 1996 with the emancipation album but he still had two singles released which did ok, "betcha by golly wow" peaked at number 11 and "the holy river"peaked at number 19.

blackboab said:

that's very true. on the flipside. a £3 CD single from a £25 triple CD album seems like value. while a £3 CD single from a £10 CD album is a bit different.

NME said:

It's only £2 or less (3 Euros -)

danielboon said:

did you even read what NME wrote? The album has charted top 10 no one if f'n up anything.

skywalker said:

read what i wrote man,... i was talkin bout the single, the way peeps are talkin bout the song musicology ! it was lookin like it coulda been a big hit in the uk !

big hit single helps keep the momentum goin ...yea ? stick to star wars luke !

may the force be with u.

danielboon said:

that ain't Luke!

danielboon said:

no-one's been talking about the song musicology. except on here. get a grip. it would have flopped.

It would have been a hit!!

rainbowchild said:

without a doubt !

My non-prince mates think that musiclogy or the marrying kind were the best choices for success in the Uk. I'm not entirely sure about this, but i do think that A million days would be the worst choice-it is just a bad song-i cringe with some of the lyrics and cheesy guitar. Does anyone else feel that A million days or Cinnamon girl would be bad choices, and musicology would have been far better?